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$24,500
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What ah crap of a week for me!!!!!! Found out Monday someonehas my S.S. number and has been working on it and not paying taxes, 2.5 hours on the phone with the IRS, that was a treat. I now have to prove I am me, they are sending me all the paper work, what a mess.. That was Monday, next day I get a call from my wife, her Aunt in Michiganpassed away...I thoughtthings would calm down after the holidays, but it'snot letting up...
Needless to say, not much to show on the 47.. I look forward to getting some time down in the shop, i feel like a crack hound looking for a fix!!!!!

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

ORIGINAL: Edwin

OH MAN! Sucks to be you right now. I cant imagine the fun THAT was, talking to the IRS.
Edwin

I ended up hanging up on the first ladyI talked with, she spoke really broken English and I couldn't understand her, but she was rude as all heck.. The next lady picked up where we left off and was very helpful, seems this thing happens a lot... I work out of town, so finding out all this while I was away freaked me out pretty good. Trying to find out what else had been done and freezing accounts, just a mess.......... It looks like everything else is all good, just the thing with the IRS.. But IL just passed a law allowing Illegal aliens to get a DL, so this might open the door to any crook in IL to try and steal money.. It has me wondering, someone could really do some damage to you.. I am signing up with one of those companies that protect your SS number, ain't taking any chances...

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

Jimbo,

Sorry to hear about all that, also sending warm wishes to you and your family for your loss.

I have been a member of Life-Lock for about the past 6 months. In the beginning I was wondering if it was worth it. Then between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I signed up for a new credit card through Amazon so I could get their promotional offer. Life-Lock immediately sent me an email letting me know that a new account was trying to be opened and wanting me to verify if it was me or not. I felt a little better paying the monthly charge after that.
Hope you get it all straightened out soon.

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

I just signed up with Zander, family plan. Been a Dave Ramsey fan for about 6 years. Up until now, I never new anybody personally that had their ID stolen. I may not know you face to face, but I feel like I know a lot of people here on the forums.
Edwin

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

Okay, I am just about to finish up the bottom of the wing with the last of the rivets. I have maybe six more panel lines to go, and this has without a doubt been the hardest part.
I am down to the last of the transfer tape, and even though I have religiously brought everything back in the house to keep the finish set and transfer tape climate controlled, I am just thinking it's not me or the way I am doing it. The rivets are not coming up with the tape all at once, I might get 10 or 12 in a row and then it will start skipping rivets and then pick-up a few more. I have started to just put them down one at a time and hope to god I will be done soon.
I know a few of you out there were hoping that this would be a faster way to do rivets, but unfortunately I can not recommend this method as a quick easy way. The raised panels and other details that were included are great, but I would skip the rivets and screws if I had to do it again.
JMO...

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

I am glad you gave us your opinion.
I was still chewing on the idea, but like you said there in not an easy way to do rivets.
It is a time consuming effort, however it will be well repaid with amazing look and compliments on the flight line.
Anyone can assemble an ARF, few can build a kit and scale it like some of you do here on RCU.
As for me I love detailing my planes and without a doubt Gary you are building something special and all this hard work will be forever visually rewarding.
You are almost there..... I know I can taste it! :-)

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

Hi all,

Almost got the top half of the fuse done! Got the area cut out for the cockpit and have finished sheeting. Just putting the little areas at the place where the razorback and vertical and horizontal come together. Then I"m going to hang it up for a bit as I have a couple of other projects to jump into that won't take too long. Then I'll return to this build and locate and fabricate my hatches for the switches, fuel fill, and air fill. This is going along nicely. I don't think that I'll be doing panel lines or rivets but I will be glassing and painting. I already have the engine (G62), Robart mains and tailwheel and plan on making a sliding canopy and bomb drops. Eventually I'm going to do the operating cowl flaps but I'll but another cowl from Fiberglass Specialties for that. Just thought I'd report in on how mine is going and thank everyone for the help I've gotten here.
Andy

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

I hear ya Andy, I have two EDF ARF projects that I'm itching to get to, but I promised the wife I would finish up the P47 before I started them. I just need to find some good weather and the motivation to make the final push.

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

Careful, I got caught up in that routine. At one time I had 5 projects going on at the same time. I ran out of bench space and eventually started thrashing in the shop. I've been finishing one at a time and not starting any more projects until all these are done. Should take another year or two. (Busa 1/4 scale NE-1 - just finished, Busa 1/4 L-4, TF 1/5 P-47, H9 B-25 - almost finished, 1/8 ME109E - scratch build) And re-engine my ziroli stearman. The DLE30 isnt working out. I'm working on the stearman and B-25 right now and should be finished shortely. Then back on the P-47. This doesnt mean I stopped buying, .
Edwin

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

ORIGINAL: redbiscuits

Jimbo,

Sorry to hear about all that, also sending warm wishes to you and your family for your loss.

I have been a member of Life-Lock for about the past 6 months. In the beginning I was wondering if it was worth it. Then between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I signed up for a new credit card through Amazon so I could get their promotional offer. Life-Lock immediately sent me an email letting me know that a new account was trying to be opened and wanting me to verify if it was me or not. I felt a little better paying the monthly charge after that.
Hope you get it all straightened out soon.

Thank you Gary, they are always sad times but something we all go through.. 500 miles round trip yesterday really sucked, what a long long day...

Thanks for the honest feedback on the rivets, I thought this was the thing to make them an easy task. Like you said, there is nothing easy about them, they are a lot of work but worth it in the end.. Looking forward to seeing you get some paint flying........

I am finally getting some shop time today and plan on laying out all the control horns, I'm not doing it as per plans, go figure. lol
Being I am making this a fast P47 with lots of motor up front, you guys might have noticed I'm not taking any chances... All the control surfaces on mine have been scaled so I wont have any issues with flutter and the hook ups have to be rock solid... I'm drilling a hole all the way through the surface to receive a 5/8" hardwood dowel that i will epoxy in and flush cut to the surface. Then I will drill a hole to tap it for an 8/32 screw. After the bottom is glassed I will screw that down and recess the screw head, fill and glass over... The plan is to just have the screw shaft coming out the bottom for my control horn, clean and very strong...
I am still up in the air as to what I will drill the holes with on the drill press, any ideas on bits? I was going to mess with different bits to see what gives me the cleanest hole...

I picked up some 48" long 4-40 rod for the elv. and rud., they are threaded on one end and 48" is pretty much how long they need to be. I will cut them to the exact length they need to be and cutthreads onthe other end so I don't have to solder any couplers on.. I never tried tapping 4/40 rod but we have that die at work, so why not....

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

Hi Jimbo,

Please post the results of your threading.
Some of these rods often have molded threads as compared to cut threads.
You may find the diameter of the rods is much less than what the OD of the thread should be.

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

ORIGINAL: Edwin

Careful, I got caught up in that routine. At one time I had 5 projects going on at the same time. I ran out of bench space and eventually started thrashing in the shop. I've been finishing one at a time and not starting any more projects until all these are done. Should take another year or two. (Busa 1/4 scale NE-1 - just finished, Busa 1/4 L-4, TF 1/5 P-47, H9 B-25 - almost finished, 1/8 ME109E - scratch build) And re-engine my ziroli stearman. The DLE30 isnt working out. I'm working on the stearman and B-25 right now and should be finished shortely. Then back on the P-47. This doesnt mean I stopped buying, .
Edwin

Edwin,

Well, this build is going to take a while and you know how it goes when you're building on just one thing.............[] I just bought two small electric's because my club does park flying during the week when the weather gets better so I thought I'd partake this year. I also have a BTE Venture 60, a Top Flite AT6 60 size and a Balsa USA 1/6 scale Sopwith PUP to do eventually. I'm just at a good break point on the P47 to relax a bit with some short-term projects and then back to this build......the bottom of the fuse, the installation of the tail wheel assy and the hatch and tail wheel doors.......so wanted to take time to ponder the other stuff.

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

ORIGINAL: Zor

Hi Jimbo,

Please post the results of your threading.
Some of these rods often have molded threads as compared to cut threads.
You may find the diameter of the rods is much less than what the OD of the thread should be.

Anticipating your post.

Zor

Β*

Yep, I tried doing the same thing and found that the end that was already threaded was actually thicker than the rest of the rod. When I tried cutting some threads on the other end, the 4-40 die wasn't biting into the rod deep enough. I ended up using coupler's and a good soldering torch.

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

I have cut threads on those 4-40 rods and used clevis's on them. No skipped threads yet. Most of the time on a long run I solder a clevis on the servo end and keep the threaded end outside for easier adjusting. I always use a split washer and nut to secure the clevis, especially on the cut threaded end. Without that, vibration will wear out the clevis threads and you start jumping threads. I thread 2-56 and 4-40. The difference between cut threads and formed threads doesnt appear to be enough in this case. I've got some in service for about 8 years. The dies I use are came from Tower many many years back.
Edwin

RE: Top Flite Giant P-47 Build

Thanks for the heads up guys, saves me time and error... I have soldered lots of couplers on and never had one fail, but the thought is always there that it's possible...

Not sure if any of you travel to events, but we are planning a big one June 22-23 with early set up for guys on Friday the 21st.. We met with the airport in my home town this afternoon and all is a go, we even have use of a hangar for overnight plane storage, camping or local motels.. Great food, raffles and fun for everyone.. Our club field is to small to have a big event like this, so the airport works great. It's private and the runway is 400X2600 East West, we can set it up North south if the winds need us to, just a great site...